By Ryan Michaels, Johrnalist | The Maine Mirror
A formal request for increased oversight of Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is emerging as a point of distinction in the 2026 gubernatorial race, after one candidate publicly called on all opponents to sign onto a joint letter demanding committee action.
Derek Levasseur, a candidate for Governor of Maine, recently issued a public appeal inviting every declared gubernatorial candidate to sign a letter addressed to the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee. The letter requests a full committee vote on previously submitted concerns involving alleged retaliation and oversight failures within DHHS.
( First page of the joint letter dated April 21, 2026, addressed to the Government Oversight Committee, outlining the request for a May 2026 vote on DHHS retaliation and oversight concerns.)
According to Levasseur, outreach has been made across the field, asking candidates to both sign the letter and commit to advancing the issue if elected.
As of now, John M. Glowa Sr. is the only candidate who has signed onto the request.
The letter, dated April 21, 2026, calls on the committee to remove a prior submission—originally brought forward by Representative Russell White—from “future consideration,” place it on the May 2026 agenda, conduct a full committee vote, and provide clear public communication regarding the outcome.
That earlier submission, according to the letter, raised concerns related to:
* Retaliation against whistleblowers and individuals who come forward
* Manipulation, omission, or falsification of documentation
* Systemic failures impacting vulnerable children and families
* The potential need for an expanded investigation by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA)
The matter was previously placed into “future consideration” due to a lack of quorum and has not yet received a full committee vote.
( Second page of the letter showing closing language, candidate designation, and signatures from Derek Levasseur and John M. Glowa Sr.)
In the letter, Levasseur and Glowa describe the request as nonpartisan, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and public trust in government oversight processes.
While the effort is being framed as a collective call from candidates, broader participation has not yet materialized. Levasseur has indicated that all candidates have been contacted, and that additional responses—or lack thereof—may become part of the public record as the election cycle progresses.
It remains unclear whether other candidates will sign onto the letter or how the Government Oversight Committee will respond to the request.
The Maine Mirror has reached out to additional gubernatorial candidates for comment and will update this story as more information becomes available.
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